


The Blue Danube

by Azathothh



Category: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Genre: 3001 spoilers, M/M, This Is Sad, mentions of dim Chandler/Frank Poole, old Frank, post HALman fusion, why am I so self conscious over this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:00:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22253788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azathothh/pseuds/Azathothh
Summary: HALman visits Frank Poole for the last time before the monolith is destroyed, Frank and Halman have a heart to heart.
Relationships: David Bowman/HAL 9000/Frank Poole
Kudos: 9





	The Blue Danube

"Halman…" Frank called out softly, smiling softly as the hologram-ghost like figure jumped, caught off guard. He was quite pleased with the reaction, Halman rarely showed emotions.  
HALman turned around, his form rippling and changing colors as the city lights from below the glass balcony caught his form and flowed through him.  
"Ah...hello Frank."  
"I wanted to talk to you. Do you mind?" Frank asked, slipping his coat off and dropping it on the hotel bed. He was staying the night at a hotel, and had called Halman there, before the events of tomorrow caused Halman to be destroyed.  
"Not at all. What would you like to speak about?" HALman replied, watching as Frank walked over and stood beside him, resting his forearms on the balcony railing, looking over the city.  
"...Why did you never talk to me? There was so much time, you just had to contact me through our mental link." Frank asked softly, letting out a shaky sigh.  
He was old now, having grandkids, his wife and he separating two years ago, he too was nearing the end. But, Halman was much closer to that.  
"You have your own life, kids and a job. We...didn't want to interrupt." HALman admitted, avoiding looking at Frank by staring at the city and night sky.  
"You wouldn't have interrupted. Not at all. I would have dropped anything for the chance, and besides...it's not like I'm doing anything of importance now."  
Halman's form rippled once more, and Frank realised that he was becoming solid.  
Once Halman had fully morphed into flesh and bone, he looked exactly like the Dave he used to know. Minus the white hair.  
"Dave…" Frank muttered softly, his heart aching in his chest. Years of regret and never spoken words flooded back at him, and he almost started to cry.  
"Yes...Frank it's me." HALman said, almost in a whisper, giving him a sad, oh so familiar smile...the smile he had thought about for months and months, after he had learned that he had been dead for 1000 years, and that Bowman had been dead for just as long.  
But he had gotten over it all, fell in love, started a life. He didn't feel guilty about it all, because what else was he supposed to do?  
Bowman would have wanted him to go and live the life he always wanted, and Frank would wish the same if the roles were reversed.  
Frank looked away.  
"God-this...this is too much." He said softly, giving a watery sigh. "You're bringing back old memories…" He said, looking up at Halman-or Dave.  
"Tell us about them." Halman said, gazing at his long lost crewmate.  
"Making me think of everyone I used to love. Dim-well he was the captain that piloted me to Europa to see you, he was a good man. He taught me to fly again, and…" he paused.  
"You loved him?"  
Frank nodded. "I did. How could I have not? He was like a space pirate, you know, like in those old novels you would read to me?" He chuckled, and Halman even let out a small laugh, causing Frank to smile even more.  
"He was a sensitive man, more sensitive then he let on. And there was Helena...back from our time. Nothing ever happened. And my ex wife, Indra...well you know all about her." He said, smiling.  
"I do. You would speak about her a lot...to anyone that would listen. She seemed like a lovely lady. No wonder you fell for her." HALman spoke, looking over the city. "You always liked people who could keep up with your analytical mind."  
Frank sighed softly, happily. He didn't often think of past, lost lovers, like Helena and Dim Chandler. He mostly thought of Indra, who he still held fondness for in his heart, but it wasn't romantic any longer.  
"Dave…."  
"Yes?"  
Frank put his hand on Dave's-or Halman's...he just went with Dave for now-shoulder.  
"I never thought I'd see you again."  
Dave nodded slightly, turning properly so he was facing Frank.  
"How do you feel?" Dave asked, taking a step closer.  
"...Like I'm 34 again, dancing with you on the deck of the Discovery."  
That brought back a memory for Halman, a memory of old times, where HAL played Frank Sinatra over the ships speakers as Frank taught him to dance, and of his youth. Memories of a man he used to be, he was no longer that man, and he felt a bit saddened by it.  
"We really are no longer those men…" Dave said in almost a whisper, and to he and HAL's utter surprise, felt a tear roll down his face.  
Frank felt his heart skip a beat. HALman had never cried, nor shown really any emotion. But...they had never spent time in a physical form. Perhaps the body they once knew as their own was revealing emotions they had long forgotten.  
"I regret that I didn't kiss you as often as I should have." HALman said, and Poole knew immediately that it was Dave who was saying it.  
Frank's eyes filled with tears and he put his hand on Halman's face.  
"Kiss me now, please. I just-" Frank's voice broke. "I just need to remember what your lips feel like on mine…-"  
HALman leaned in and kissed the man, leaning into the touch unconsciously.  
Frank kissed back, passionately, tears streaming down his face. He pulled away after a few seconds, gazing at the face of Halman.  
"I can't stay in this form much longer...but…" they paused. It was a lot of strain upon their being to be in a human form for so long. But, Frank reignited their emotions, after 1000 years, and they needed just one last moment with him. "Dance with me. Just like we did on the Discovery."  
Frank's eyes teared up once more and he nodded silently, taking Halman's hand.  
Without even really thinking about it, Frank picked a song and it flooded over the speakers in the Bowman Suite. Frank led them to the center of the room, feeling a bit glad that the room had a minimalist aesthetic.  
"We had a fair chance, romance and all"  
Halman's arms rested on Frank's shoulders, Frank putting his on Halman's hips, just like he had done so long ago.  
"But we brought our feelings, to a fall"  
HALman looked into Frank's eyes, giving him a small smile as they swayed to the song.  
"Summer just vanished, and love did the same"  
He and Halman gently swayed, the two of them just existing, for a moment.  
"It's not this nice place we should blame"  
It was romantic, really. Two old lovers, who never had the chance to pursue the other in their entirety, meeting one last time...and having their first dance all over again. Frank smiled at the thought, he would have to write that down.  
"And the blue Danube silently flows below me"  
HALman started to lead Frank around the floor, catching Frank a bit off guard. But...he was not going to object. For a moment, Halman had become the most human they had ever been.  
HALman couldn't fight the tears that pooled in their eyes, that touch of humanity that had awoken brought on emotions, one that they hadn't felt in a thousand years.  
They dipped their unsuspecting dance partner and kissed him, squeezing their eyes shut.  
Frank kissed back, one hand pulling them closer by the side of their face.  
"God…i-i I love you….I love you! I love you I love you I love you-" Halman muttered in between sobs and kisses, grabbing Frank's face.  
Frank looked at them, wiping the tears from the beings face.  
"I know you do." He said softly, pushing a strand of hair off of Halman's face. "I've always known."  
He held Halman for a while, running his worn and wrinkled fingers through his old friend's hair, the two just standing there, holding each other like it was the last time they'd be able to.  
And they both knew, it was the last time.


End file.
